FAITH—ACTION THAT BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP
Step.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Step. . . . .
It has often been said that everything begins with the action of taking a FIRST STEP, & THAT IS TRUTH.
In literature class last night, we discussed several texts and even some we read last week. Today, one text stands out, a story about a grandmother who travels a path back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth—every month she walks the same worn path to purchase medicine for her sick grandson. While the story continues to shed light upon those she encounters along the path and the apothecary who sells her the drug, I find today that I am looking specifically at the grandmother’s path.
It’s a worn path.
It’s a deep rut.
It’s marked with familiarity.
It’s so comfortable in its landmarks.
It’s unchanging.
It’s confining.
It’s prison-like in its fear.
It’s NOT an image of God!!!
God is freedom.
God does not call us (you or me or anyone) to be anyone but the one He has come to save, to set free.
Do not believe me but forevermore believe God’s Holy Word. We see in the Gospel of Mark (chapter 10) a man living in Jericho who was blind. The narrative goes that this man (since he could not see) heard others speaking of the man Jesus who was coming by where this man sat begging. Immediately, this man Bartimaeus began to cry out to Jesus, so much so that the crowd told him to be quiet.
But Bartimaeus could not, would not hush, but he cried out even more.
Jesus hears our cries!
Jesus heard the cries of Bartimaeus that day!
Jesus hears us and calls out to us!
Jesus heard and called out to Bartimaeus that day!
Jesus calls us. &
Just as the narrative explains—
We need to do as Bartimaeus & throw off our cloak, jump up, and come to Jesus.
Faith is so simple!
At that point, Jesus asked Bartimaeus a question.
“What do you want Me to do for you?”
(Mark 10:51)
Bartimaeus responded as all of us respond.
“And the blind man said to Him, ‘Rabboni [My Master], I want to regain my sight!’
(Mark 10: 51-52)
And Jesus said to him,
‘Go; your faith has made you well.’
Immediately he [the man who was blind] regained his sight and began following Him [Jesus Christ] on the road.”
I do not know what step God is asking you to take today, but this I do know to be true.
Whatever step God is leading you to take, that is the step you should take.
The same is true for me.
That’s the wonderfulness of following Jesus as Savior; the way, path, begins with a first step, and then we are given step after step after step after step . . . To walk through life with Christ Jesus. Following Jesus is NOT a worn path (like the fictional story we studied in literature class); following Jesus is NEW and FREEING, the ONLY PATH, the ONLY WAY!
What do we need to do today?
What do we need to begin?
Those are easiest questions to answer.
We need to trust God!!!
We need to let go of our fears!
We need to let God lead us into freedom!
We (each person alive) needs to allow God to have His way!
That means I need to allow God to have His way in me—-right now!
That means You need to allow God to have His way in you, too!
Faith is so simple!
We place our eyes upon Jesus;
We trust Him;
We step!
Today, may we boldly pray words such as these—-
“Jesus, have Your way in me, & Jesus, I know Your way is the only way to go because I know You came to set me free, & Jesus, I know You are leading me home to heaven. Oh, Father, give me courage to throw off whatever encumbers me (fear, relationships, pride, sin, disobedience—-whatever God) & let me live for You.”